Dean’s first bands included The Twilighters (playing bass and sax), Kentish Steele and the Shantelles, Canada, Cannonball, and Scrubbaloe Caine. Scrubbaloe Caine released one album, Round One in 1973 before dissolving in 1974.

Dean then joined the Great Canadian River Race (with Matt Frenette), and shortly after the two combined forces with Streetheart in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1976. Dean, along with singer Kenny Shields, keyboard player Daryl Gutheil, bassist Ken Sinnaeve and drummer Matt Frenette, released their debut album Meanwhile Back in Paris in 1977.

In 1978, Dean left Streetheart and re-settled in Calgary where he formed Loverboy with singer Mike Reno. Loverboy has since produced eight studio albums, including their latest, “Unfinished Business” – plus compilations and live albums, and a number of worldwide hit singles.

In 1982, Dean won the “Composer of the Year” Juno Award along with Reno for writing “Turn Me Loose” from Loverboy’s self-titled 1980 debut album. The album “Get Lucky” garnered Dean, along with the late great Bruce Fairbairn, a Juno for Producer of the Year – one of 6 Junos, a record that still stands today.

In 1989, Dean released his first solo album called Hard Core. The album is composed of nine tracks with songs co-written with other 80′s artists such as Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams and Paul Stanley (of Kiss fame). His second solo album, 1995′s Machine, featured a blues sound with guest appearance from Reno, with Dean also playing fiddle and harmonica. He released a third non-Loverboy album in 1997 titled Blackstone, featuring Marc LaFrance on lead vocals.

At the 2009 Juno Awards Dean was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of Loverboy.

Dean released three singles in 2017; Hurtin’, Some Like it Hot, and Stop the Rain.